I. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to methods and systems for providing switched broadband. More particularly, the present invention relates to providing switched broadband to optimize quality of service and actively manage bandwidth on a per network element basis.
II. Background Information
Service providers have provided “best effort” data services using a simple over-subscription model. The addition of value-added services, and that subscribers within a given location could have multiple services per single network element ID (as well as multiple network elements that subscribe to multiple services), the simple over-subscription model becomes obsolete. The emergence of voice-over-internet protocol (VOIP), committed information rate (CIR) based services, and multimedia services makes the effective real time management of a network resource a vital component for broadband service delivery. Thus, the conventional strategy is for broadband system operators to use cable modem termination systems (CMTS) to switches (or routers) to provide best-effort Internet access. This often causes problems because when system operators want to offer value-added, tiered services, or make different services available to multiple sets of customers (even different sets of services for multiple devices within a single subscriber's home,) the situation becomes much more complex.
In view of the foregoing, there is a need for methods and systems for providing switched broadband more optimally. Furthermore, there is a need for providing switched broadband to optimize quality of service on a per network element basis.